


Red String Theory

by plaidshirtjimkirk



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Character Study, Cuddling, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Insecurity, Love Confession, M/M, Making Out, Pillow Talk, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Rivalry, Sharing a Bed, cho does an illegal thing, first kiss...gone wrong, in the rain, meiji husbands, police station shenanigans, short story collection, wow~!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-09-21 16:23:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9557063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plaidshirtjimkirk/pseuds/plaidshirtjimkirk
Summary: A collection of short Saisa stories because the red string of fate is strong with these two. <3 Each chapter can be read as a stand-alone work.





	1. The Unfamiliar Path

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an inordinate amount of feelings for these morons and it's ruining my life. Therefore, it's only logical to write short stories about them. lol I decided to work off prompts from [Mizu's 30 Day OTP Challenge](http://mizufallsfromkumo.tumblr.com/post/50998898131/mizus-30-day-otp-challenge), because they seem to fit the meiji husbands well. Not sure if I'll write all of them, most of them, or only a few.
> 
> Anyway, the first one is "Getting lost somewhere" and here's wonderwall.

**.*The Unfamiliar Path*.**

Sano had thought he walked this path through the woods during every season.

Summer was always wearisome, when a lingering cocktail of heat and humidity stagnated the air and left him uncomfortable, even after repeatedly dabbing the sweat off his skin. The oppressive swelter had made it hard to breathe and buzzing of insect wings near his ears pricked at nerves in his back and shoulders; yet, the trees canopying overhead provided shade from the unforgiving July sun and Sano decided it could always be worse. After all, summer had been the captain’s favorite and somewhere, Souzo was smiling now. He’d closed his eyes at that thought and the corners of his lips twitched softly upward.

Then there was autumn, bringing the cool breeze that blew soft as a whisper and gently ruffled through Sano’s hair like a caress. The sensation had sent shivers down his spine and he’d inhaled deeply, feeling connected to the change in nature as leaves floated lazily down around him. This was the time to let go of past hang-ups and mistakes, to bury them and plant the seeds of absolution that would bloom once the inevitable ice melted. Like sprigs of canola bringing bare expanses of rolling hills to life, Sano would rise anew from the ashes of the previous year…so long as he had dice in his hand and luck behind him.

Winter followed shortly, pulling a soft blanket of white over the world and tucking it into the bliss of peace and silence. Sano’s breath had been visible before him as he trudged through the chill that pricked at cheeks stained in blush, but there was a fire in his chest that kept him as warm as the coat he’d slipped over his shoulders. If he could keep the flame kindled, there was tangible evidence that he could overcome whatever discomfort life tried to needle at him. His grip tightened on the jug at his side, the sting of liquor remaining in his throat from his last swig.

And once more, it became spring—Sano’s favorite—when cherry blossoms erupted overnight in soft clusters of pink along crooked dark branches, fulfilling those old autumn promises of renewal and rejuvenation after long weeks of winter. April rain washed the slate clean, made sake taste better and the glitter of a starry sky brighter. Hope and prosperity were in the air, just like the butterflies dancing about the fragrance of fresh flowers, and Sano’s heart felt exceptionally light.

…or, at least his heart had been light _last_ year. This time, everything was different.

Traversing this road Sano had taken so many times alone felt entirely new when his footsteps fell behind the lead of another’s. Lagging behind, his attention was no longer on the transformation of his surroundings but the one taking place inside himself. Sano kept his hands stuffed in his pockets for a long while and followed Saito without a word, gazing pensively at slick black hair that met the collar of a navy jacket.

How could so much have changed in twelve months? At exactly this time one year ago, Sano had sake money in his pocket and a persistent feeling of confidence that radiated from his chest. He was self-assured—comfortable with himself and his abilities—and his largest desire had merely been to find a good meal for dinner.

Now, under the falling cherry blossom petals, all he saw was Saito and he suddenly felt lost, like he’d never before taken this path that he’d once known so well. In some ways, he didn’t even recognize his own mental reflection. Sano’s life was no longer governed by Captain Sagara’s approval or a roll of the dice or a large vessel of sake. It had become infinitely complicated because it was no longer about only himself, and that left him with more questions than answers about the future.

Feeling stupid and more than a little silly, Sano cast his gaze to the side. They’d met frequently since the unexpected reunion in Tokyo, but there was no indication of how long their acquaintance would last; it was all physical exchange laced with familiar banter, but never any deep conversation about what was to come—if anything, at all.

It was a strange feeling. Sano hadn’t ever been the kind of person who made or relied on plans, but there was unease growing alongside a dangerous affection inside of him that he tried so hard to quell. The facts were the facts, however. Sano was getting attached and Saito had already disappeared once without explanation. There weren’t any promises or guarantees that he wouldn’t vanish again.

How could he inquire about such an intention without looking pathetic or too vulnerable, Sano wondered for the hundredth time. Every way he considered phrasing it sounded too awkward (he couldn’t even imagine saying some of those words with his own lips) and gave Saito total control over the situation.

Maybe the best course of action was simply sitting back and waiting…but Sano had never been one to do either of those things. He reminded himself that he was a person of action and conviction who forged his own way, and then realized if that were true, he wouldn’t have fallen so far behind that he was trailing Saito’s footsteps now.

Sano looked forward again, his gaze falling upon Saito’s arm and wandering down to the hand covered by a white glove. He stared at it until his mouth parted suddenly and a moment of clarity clapped him over the head. Perhaps, he’d been approaching this in the completely wrong way. Maybe some mysteries were better solved without the movement of lips.

His feet picked up the pace to catch up, hitting the ground faster until he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Saito and matching his stride. Without taking his eyes off the road ahead, Sano swallowed and sought out Saito’s hand—first hooking his pointer and middle digits about the pinky and then sliding them across the palm.

The response was an immediate salve to any indecision and an answer to everything he’d ever wanted to ask. Saito’s fingers folded in, returning Sano’s grasp in full, and then even surpassing it.

That was all he needed, even if they never spoke of this moment or talked about what the future had in store.

Sano’s tongue poked out to wet his lips and he couldn’t fight the tiny smile that pulled outward to his cheeks. Without turning his face, he peered up through the corner of his eye and it finally struck him that, for once, there was no cigarette in Saito’s mouth. Maybe he’d been too distracted by questions of his own, and in that case…

Sano pulled his hand free just enough to slip his fingers between Saito’s. Their palms pressed together as their digits intertwined, and still without a single word spoken, they continued down a road that was once familiar and now entirely new.

In time, they’d map it out again together.

The cherry blossoms fell, the summer heat hung, the leaves left the trees, and the snow lined the path once more. When the pink petals returned the following spring, they were greeted silently by the same entangled hands that had never let go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! <3333
> 
> My Shinsengumi blog in tumblr hell: [kondo-hijikata](http://kondo-hijikata.tumblr.com)


	2. Early Rise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> from Mizu's 30 Day OTP Challenge: Sleeping in
> 
> Slightly nsfw, nothing explicit.
> 
> If anyone ever asks me why I love Saito so much, I'll tell them it's for every single thing I wrote about in this story.

**.*Early Rise*.**

Rims of dark lashes cracked like the breaking of dawn. As if synonymous in nature, the soft amber glow stretching along the horizon mirrored irises slowly meeting the darkness of the bedroom—and then it was morning.

Long before his involvement with the Shinsengumi, when he’d been known by his father’s last name instead of the current one, Saito had become an early riser. His parents had been strict and inflexible, and as the first rays of the sun began to embrace the earth, Saito was on his feet for the morning chores. Then followed stretching, then breakfast, then rigorous training; each day of his childhood adhered to a carefully structured schedule, meant to build responsibility and character.

In the end, his parents’ old fashioned insistence paid off for everyone…except the Tokugawa regime, but their demise was no fault of Saito’s; in fact, it was through their stubbornness to not abandon the sword in favor of modern weaponry where he learned his first hard lesson about the dangers of inflexibility.

Despite that, it was true that some tendencies in thought and action refused to die, no matter how many years passed since they were first acquired. Saito possessed several of these penchants, had been criticized for keeping them and sometimes deemed too rigid and out of date in the new era.

“ _Ten years has passed since our last meeting and since then, I have sought peace. I will not finish now what was started so long ago, that I will not._ ”

“ _Now how long, in the Meiji era…how long can you hold onto your precious sense of justice?_ ”

“ _A domesticated dog wagging his tail for the Meiji and barking about Aku Soku Zan. I’m evil? Evil is the weakness in the current government and for that, I will destroy it._ ”

“ _Ah, Fujita! You always arrive at the office so early, even when it’s slow here…_ ”

But really, what more could have been expected from an ex-manslayer turned wanderer, a blinded man who’d admitted defeat to himself but no one else for the sake of his cheap pride, a megalomaniac hellbent on vengeance and attaining endless power, and a police chief who had never seen war?

Despite whatever attributes they might have had in common, the commitment to his beliefs was what kept Saito vastly different—and the more he was unlike those named, the better. He found amusement in the irony that out of all the aforementioned, _he’d_ been the one considered most resistant to change, when Saito had dealt with change better than any.

Instead of letting go of his ideals or living a lie because of a painful past, instead of working to destroy the government that had obliterated everything he’d fought to protect in the war or trading habits that kept him sane for a small bit of luxury in return, Saito adjusted himself and adapted. As the times changed, so had he and his expectations, but never, _never_ had he surrendered his moral compass in the process.

That was the difference. And the result of that difference was a police officer armed with both the justice of Aku Soku Zan and a sword, working in the new age to protect the country he had a hand in raising at all costs—even if he’d been on the losing side of the war.

If that wasn’t adaptability, Saito reckoned the definition warranted a rewrite. Then again, gaining the approval of people who mattered very little in the long run hadn’t ever been of importance to him.

Saito swallowed, staring up at the ceiling while he stretched his legs. Yes, the times made their demands: new government, new job, a spouse. But human nature was human nature, and denying one of their true self was only walking a lifelong road of misery. His face fell to the side on that musing and through the darkness, he looked at Sano, curled up and facing him, breathing softly as he slept.

The answer to everything was learning how to work with societal demands and play along just enough to satisfy them without letting go of what mattered most. Somewhere in Tokyo, a woman sharing Saito’s last name might have awoken just as early, opening her eyes to another woman pressed against her as she thought the same.

Fully conscious now, Saito’s lips parted in a yawn and he stirred, allowing his body another blissful mini-stretch before sitting up. The cover puddled in his lap as he moved his face side to side to get the muscles in his neck moving.

It was time to get the old morning routine kicked off with a smoke, some hot tea, and a warm up. By the hour Saito cooked rice and put natto and miso soup on the table, the lazy thing at his side might just be crawling out of bed. Though, that _still_ would be relatively early. Perhaps, Saito would be eating alone once more.

Softly huffing through his nose at the thought, he pushed the blanket away and slid his feet off the futon—when a hand suddenly flung up to grab blindly at the sleeve of his black undershirt. The unexpected contact triggered his defenses and Saito’s left hand clenched, while simultaneously recognizing it was no threat at all. His chin hit his shoulder as he looked over it.

“’Ey…” Sano growled into the pillow, his voice deep and cracking from disuse. His fist tightened on Saito’s sleeve. “Today’s your day off, remember?”

Saito cleared his throat, too proud to have his own words mangled in the way Sano’s were. “I’m aware,” he replied quietly and then placed the soles of his feet back on the mattress. “Though I’m not sure why you are. Or why you’re even awake now.”

“Hn?” Sano’s eyes opened then and there was a flash of white as he grinned before his mouth opened in a large yawn. His pointer finger unraveled from his fist and he poked Saito’s arm with it. “I know _everything_ about you.”

A brow twitched. “You know nothing.”

“I know enough,” Sano countered through half-lidded eyes and without ever losing his lopsided smile. “Every day, you wake up and look at the ceiling, then do that little stretch thing ya do.” Saito’s chin raised as his shirt was pulled until the fabric stretched, coaxing him to lie back down. He resisted. “Then, you get up and—” Another yawn. “—smoke. Drink tea. Stretch properly and practice your form. And _then_ …here’s _my_ favorite part…you make breakfast.”

Sano nosed the pillow. “See? I can write a friggin’ biography about your typical day, though it’d be so damn boring that no one would read it.”

With that, he delivered another forceful tug and Saito finally gave in. “Oh?” he asked indifferently as he lowered back down to the bed, but his mouth hinted at an upward twitch. “What else is there that you think you know?”

“I know that sometimes you work too hard…that you don’t sleep enough…”

“Interesting observation from the mouth of someone who hardly _ever_ works and then sleeps too _much_ …”

Ignoring the light-hearted gibe, Sano tossed the cover back over Saito and then shuffled closer. His movements were lazy as he slid his arm across Saito’s chest, then settled in and laid his head on his shoulder. “I know you like when I do this.” He nuzzled the black shirt and then slipped his foot between Saito’s ankles to entwine their legs. “…Feel free to tell me if I’m wrong.”

Saito’s lips barely parted and he inhaled before he spoke, but chose to reply only by pulling Sano closer with the arm he’d lain over. His hand fell on the far side of Sano’s bare chest, ring and pinky fingers landing where the top of the wraps had been yesterday. He drummed his digits softly.

“Hnnn…what else…” Sano’s fingertips tapped against Saito’s other bicep and ran down to the hand resting at his side, pausing there as if to consider if he should take it, before letting them trail over his thigh. “Oh, now I know you like _this_ for sure.”

Saito’s larger hand covered the back of Sano’s as it began moving and he leaned his face to the side. His cheek pressed to Sano’s forehead and he looked out into the space of the room beginning to gently lighten from the rising sun. Over a breath, he purred, “Is there a point in trying to prove all this?”

“Well, you don’t live with a shifty ass cop for months without picking up a few tricks.”

“Explain…”

Sano smiled against his chest. “I’m trying to make it so appealing that you wouldn’t even _possibly_ consider leaving bed anytime soon…ya know, social engineerin’ and all that…” He lifted his face to push his nose against Saito’s jaw and then drawled in a low tone, “So? Is it working?”

Upon drawing a quick breath, Saito’s hand shot up from covering Sano’s and he tossed himself to the side. The movement was fast, shoving Sano on his back as Saito’s knees hit the futon to straddle him. Bracing his palms above Sano’s shoulders to keep from crushing him, Saito’s tongue poked out to wet his lips and he maintained eye contact. “Commendable,” he commented with a growl, then lowered to his forearm and traced his thumb across Sano’s mouth. “But I think you can try harder.”

Sano’s lips opened slightly and a soft smirk pulled into his cheeks. “At the risk of fucking up your routine, huh?”

“In case you haven’t noticed,” Saito said, sliding his hand behind Sano’s head. “I’m very adaptable.”

The kiss that followed reinforced that fact.

~

It was the combination of light and heat that roused Saito again, his eyes squeezing and turning from the window before they fluttered open. He blinked several times and shifted slightly as dead weight pinned his right side down. Sano was halfway on him again with his head on his chest, the difference from before being that Saito’s shirt had been flung somewhere across the room instead of covering him.

Lifting his head off the pillow, his nose pressed into Sano’s hair, and then Saito laid back again with a deep exhale. Both his internal clock and the growling of his stomach indicated it was likely late in the morning.

A small groan left Sano and his hand clasped into a light fist over Saito’s chest as he stirred. Picking his chin up, he looked at Saito with sleepy eyes.

They silently regarded each other for several moments before Sano cocked his head to the side. “So.” His voice was once again rough. “When, ugh—” He cleared his throat, sniffled, and tried again with another lazy grin. “When’s breakfast?”

Saito pursed his lips. “I’m not sure.” Raising a hand, he stroked it through Sano’s thick hair. “You seemed intent on dismantling my routine, so…”

Displeasure crossed Sano’s features and he pouted. “Well, I didn’t mean—”

“Lucky for you, however,” Saito continued with intentional apathy in his tone, “I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction of completely destroying it. Twenty minutes. Of course…” His brows raised. “…if you were to help, the time would be cut down to fifteen.”

Sano smiled. “Well…what are waitin’ for? Seize the day—ay—ay—ayyy—”

The yawn that had interrupted his reply had Saito softly scoffing. “Your self-image doesn’t matter to you at all, does it?” He shifted out from underneath, freeing himself to stand and then holding his hand out.

“Hey!” Sano took it and stumbled to his feet. “I thought _you_ knew _me_ better than that! Maybe _you’re_ the guy who’s not doin’ his homework, hmm?” He squinted and leaned in, just to receive a yukata thrown in his face.

“Put that on,” Saito instructed as he donned his own. “I’m fully aware that you’d rather walk around my house naked and indecent. That’s the only relevant fact at the moment.”

“Oh, sorry, _Mister I’m so prim and proper and always perfect_ ,” Sano playfully retorted and began fumbling with the garment to put it on correctly.

Saito ran a hand through his hair to neaten any locks that had sprung out of place (there were none), and then walked to the door. After he slid it open, he peered over his shoulder and smiled with his eyes at Sano.

“ _Always_ ,” Saito called as he left the bedroom. Once he was out of Sano’s sight, he allowed himself a deep yawn that stretched his mouth much too wide and then gently scratched his groin.

And that was all it was, the answer to everything in life: learn how to work with societal demands, play along just enough, stay true to one’s real nature, and never let go of what mattered most… _  
_

_Aku Soku Zan_ , _Aku Soku Zanza_.

…even if one of those things was the person across the table, shoving rice and natto into his mouth in the most unflattering way possible.

Saito’s parents would have never stood for that. But the times changed and so had he. With no complaints, he closed his eyes and smiled softly while sipping his tea without a sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! <333


	3. Scorned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol so [Mamoro](http://archiveofourown.org/users/mamoro) started this whole crack fic meme thing in the RK fandom on tumblr (BLESS) and since my current projects have been annoying me relentlessly, I decided to play. Nonsense be ahead.
> 
> The prompt was: saito + sano, first time and an audience

**Scorned**

Fireflies drifted through the night like embers, reflecting in a gentle river mirroring a million stars that knew every unspoken hope and desire and reverie Sano had ever possessed since _he_ came along.

He knew he should have closed his eyes, knew it was unnatural to keep them open, but Sano found himself frozen as time slowed despite the pounding in his chest. Soft breaths scented by mint and cigarettes spilled gently across his face, the gloved fingertips pressed beneath his chin keeping him still.

Finally… _finally_ …

A hand wrapped in white tape raised from where it had rested in the grass, and digits pressed to Saito’s navy uniform before flexing and taking a light hold of the fabric. 

There wasn’t enough air in Sano’s lungs and his lips barely trembled from the feeling of vertigo in this perfect moment he’d lived countless times in a dream much too sweet.

It was so close, so _close_ , to being reality and at last, he relented. His lashes fell halfway and then fully, as Sano titled his head and lurched forward to meet the lips he’d starved for over months–only to have his eyes snap open when he toppled over.

Sano’s hand shot out to keep himself from faceplanting in the grass and as the uniform was ripped from his grasp, he shoved his head up.

“What–” he stammered in disbelief, staring as Saito got to his feet and turned from him. “What the fuck?!”

All he saw was a gloved fist raise over a blue-clad shoulder with the thumb pointing back to the direction of nearby bushes. “Leave them home next time, you moron.”

Sano gawked, still breathless and frozen while he watched Saito stalk off. Then, he slowly blinked and turned his head.

“ _Tsuka tsuka hoooosh_!!” cried a voice in an awful imitation of a cicada.

“Shut up, Yakiho!” a woman hissed.

“That isn’t the sound of a cicada, that it is not…oro? Hey, Sano is coming this way… We should all stay very quiet.”

Rolling the sleeves of his gi up, Sano clenched his teeth and shoved his hands into the bushes, parting them to find wide-eyed Yahiko, Kaoru, and Kenshin crouching with branches stuck in their hair as camouflage.

“H…hi, Sano…” Kenshin choked. “Fancy…seeing you here… We were just out for a walk, you see…”

“You… _assholes_ ,” Sano grated, raising a clenched fist and shaking it.

“Calm down…Sano…” Kenshin stumbled backward to his feet and closed his eyes with the sweetest smile he could muster.

“ _Futae no kiwami_!”

Leaves and branches scattered everywhere, and with a firm grasp on the collars of Kaoru’s kimono and Yahiko’s yukata, Kenshin ran as fast and far as he could, a flailing, screaming, and _furious_ man scorned right on his heels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My poor smol son... His dreams and hopes were shattered. lol
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	4. The Rain, The Alley, and Other (Illegal) Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More crack fic nonsense~
> 
> prompt: Saito+Sano, in the rain, strange scents

**The Rain, The Alley, and Other (Illegal) Things**

Pouring rain blurred Saito’s vision as he sprinted down the street with a tight hold on Sano’s wrist to ensure they didn’t separate. _Damn_ the lingering rainy season, ruining everything. He squinted and growled, deciding enough was enough and yanked Sano down a dark alley. The buildings on this side road had been outfitted with eaves and would provide just enough cover for them to wait the worst of the storm out without drowning in it.

Out of breath, they both slammed their backs against the wall and Saito tilted his head up with a low groan. All he’d wanted to do after his shift from hell was go home and get Sano out of his clothes, but nature seemed to have another plan in mind. His lashes parted and he let his face fall to the side to find Sano panting heavily with his arms crossed before his chest and his chin tucked in.

“Hey,” Saito breathed and reached for his arm. “Sagara.” When Sano turned to him, he found his lips slightly trembling. “Cold?”

“I’m fine,” Sano mumbled. “Though maybe if…” He swallowed, abandoning his words as Saito pivoted and slid directly in front of him.

Pressed hard against Sano’s body, Saito took hold of his arms and rubbed them through the soaked material of his gi. “You’ve always been the worst liar.”

“ _Maybe_ ,” Sano stressed again as their breaths intermingled, “if we would’ve left the fucking station when I showed up there, we wouldn’t be caught in this bullshit.”

Saito raised his brows. “Maybe.” His tongue poked out to lick his lips and his hands slid down to take Sano’s. Cocking his head as their fingers entwined, he added, “Or maybe not.”

“Hey.” Sano’s voice was barely a whisper and he tugged gently. “What if someone sees us?”

A soft laugh emanated from within Saito’s throat. “Who? It’s late and pouring. Can you even hear anything over the sound of the rain?”

Rolling his shoulders up from a shiver that wracked him, Sano seemed to study him for a moment before relaxing his spine against the building.

“Right,” Saito purred. “Very good.” And then their lips met once, then twice, and finally stayed locked.

As the rain continued to barrage the pavement, their mouths opened to let their tongues meet. Saito lifted their clasped hands up so they were braced against the wall next to Sano’s shoulders and he shifted his leg for a more strategic position. He felt the grasp on him tighten as Sano pulled his face to the side.

“Sai–” he panted, “–to. Are you serious right now?!”

Saito left a trail of kisses up and back down Sano’s jaw.

“ _Here_?!”

“Your clothes are already wet anyway.”

Sano huffed. “Must be nice to be a cop.”

“There are advantages,” Saito replied, letting his lips fall to Sano’s neck while he began moving his thigh in small back and forth motions. A smirk pulled at the corners of his lips as he felt Sano’s breath become choppy against his skin, and he took that as valuable positive feedback to continue his efforts.

Saito’s mind drifted to what they would be doing right now if they’d actually made it back to his place before being so rudely interrupted by the weather. Of course, they were limited in terms of how far they could go under this overhanging roof, but when Sano was in his bed, the possibilities were endless. He decided to explore this thought out loud.

“Sagara,” Saito whispered against his flesh. “If we were home, imagine what we’d be doing.”

“Eating?”

“You’re an idiot.” There was a pause. “…But you’re not wrong.”

“…Fuck.”

“In fact, I can say with full certainty that–” Saito trailed off as he suddenly registered a scent that was deep and earthy and also _extremely_ illegal. His eyes snapped open.

With his brows knitting down, Saito lifted his head and looked into Sano’s eyes, which were now filled with confusion, then turned his face in the direction of the scent.

“Y’all don’t gotta stop because of me.”

Sano’s entire body went stiff and with a hard shove, he pushed Saito away from him and into the rain. He squinted through the darkness, registering a dark figure holding something a little larger than cigarette. The end glowed orange. “… _Broom head_?!”

Cho’s laugh echoed over the downpour. “Sup, rooster head?”

Back under the eave and two steps away from Sano, Saito’s featured steeled. “Are you _actually_ smoking that in public, you moron?!”

“Well, it’s as you said, boss.” He chuckled and cocked his head to the side. “ _Advantages_.”

“How fucking long have you been standing there?!” Sano barked.

“Long enough to buy Mister Fujita’s silence, I think.”

Sano’s hands clenched. “You motherfucker…” However, his fighting stance was held at bay by Saito extending a hand in front of his chest.

“Hey, now! It’s anyone’s alley! I got caught in the rain, too, and at first I wasn’t gonna say nothin’ but after a while…well.” Cho’s teeth flashed in a grin. “Figured I’d seen enough to make it safe to light up. It’s a fair trade, yeah? One secret for another?” He raised his shoulders. “Though, I gotta admit…I never thought I’d catch y’all not payin’ attention like this. It’s actually really, _really_ funny. Is that why you keep shades on your office windows, boss?”

“Cht.” Saito shoved himself away from the wall and into the rain. “I’m going home.”

“Sai–Saito! Wait a minute!” Sano exclaimed, following him. “You’re just going to let him get away with this?!”

Saito didn’t turn around.

“Again, rooster head.” Cho huffed. “Advantages.” He winked. “Have a good night.”

“Fuck you.”

“That’s apparently not my jurisdiction.”

“ _What_?!”

As soon as he was out of earshot, Saito allowed himself to groan. Work was about to become really, _really_ awkward. Though, considering how Cho hadn’t seemed troubled at all by what he saw, perhaps the door had been opened to a situation that could become very interesting in the near future.

Saito would need to investigate that. But he’d need to get out of this fucking rain first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cho is a weed gay. lol
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


	5. Piecing It Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sano wonders how they went from being rivals to… _this_.
> 
> A quick meditation based on the Ruroken Week prompt, "All Is Fair In Love And War."

**.*Piecing It Together*.**

With their eyes closed and foreheads pressed together, they breathed the same breath through parted lips, drifting in a universe only large enough for two. And in this perfect moment of wanting nothing more, as his heart hammered and the racing of his pulse made him dazed and oversensitive, Sano had never felt closer to another person in his life.

Trails of haphazard scratch marks led to where his fingertips pressed deeply to Saito’s back, their tension mirroring the hand cradling his head against the pillow. Like this they remained, a pair of entwined statues suspended in some unworldly space between the shores of truth and reverie, until reality crept back in and made Sano hyperaware of his surroundings.

Everything touching him felt surreal and soft—the futon, the sheets, the covers…the sensation of lightness in his body, the memory of the kiss he could still taste even now. But no recollection, no matter how fresh, could replace the real thing.

Parched upon that thought, Sano tilted his chin up so their mouths met again once and then twice before his lashes slowly fluttered and he found Saito regarding him with a similar intensity. Their lips barely touched as they stared at each other, saying nothing out loud and yet everything with their eyes, until Saito finally slipped Sano’s calves from where they rested on his shoulders and gently lowered them to the mattress.

With his chest now rising and falling lazily, Sano watched as Saito reached for the nearby damp cloth and made quick but careful work of cleaning them both up. The fabric brushed across the scar on Sano’s pectoral first—why not begin at the beginning, indeed—and as Sano mused upon that, he succumbed to the ministrations which made him feel important and cared for.

His mind reiterated that. Sano _felt_ important to someone else, for the first time ever—felt cherished and desired and worthwhile.

While he recognized and even accepted this conclusion, he was still perplexed as to exactly how he’d ended up there, and how it had all started with this scar. Sano’s fingertips raised, pressing to the place beneath his shoulder now cool from the cloth and wondered how a stab wound given on his right side could have pierced his heart.

His eyes opened when Saito finally pulled away to sit tall, reaching for his pack of cigarettes and then lighting up. It was a rare instance when he allowed himself the luxury of assuming a relaxed position out of seiza; now was such a time and it gave Sano the perfect opportunity.

He seized it, rising and resting his chin on Saito’s shoulder from behind as his arms slipped around his chest. “Ne, Saito,” Sano purred, distracted momentarily by the stronger presence of the scent he loved most here. “…Do you believe in fate?”

The cigarette glowed brighter as Saito took a draw and his reply was delivered with an exhale of smoke. “No.”

Sano hummed, neither disappointed nor surprised. “Figured.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Just wonderin’.”

Saito huffed, inviting elaboration.

“I guess sometimes I feel like fate had to be involved with bringing us here.” Sano nosed his shoulder and pursed his lips against it in a moment of thought. “Y’know what I’m saying? I mean, we didn’t really meet in the most conventional way.” A grin pulled out to his cheeks when he heard Saito snort with muted amusement. “And I guess it’s just…it’s kinda unbelievable that we ended up like this.” Raising his head, Sano’s gaze found the side of Saito’s face. “Right?”

Leaning forward, Saito perched his cigarette on the ashtray but made no effort to turn to Sano. “At times, opposites attract.”

“Are we really that different deep down, though?”

“No. However, sometimes…” Saito continued as his hand covered Sano’s braced against his chest, “it’s a fine line separating opposite _situations_ , making them more alike than different.”

With a groan, Sano closed his eyes and pressed his brow to Saito’s shoulder instead. “The fuck does that mean, old man? Look…” His fingers separated, threading between Saito’s and flexing them to intertwine. “All I know is that when we first met, the only thing I wanted was to obsessively kick your ass.”

“And now?”

“My mind’s completely changed.” A pause. “…But don’t worry. Ass and obsession are still very much in the equation.”

Saito exhaled sharply. “Aho.”

“Maybe. But…” Sano finally pulled away and shuffled so he sat back on his feet at Saito’s side. “It’s like…it _should’ve_ taken a lot for me to change like that and yet, it was so effortless. You just moved into my head and rearranged all the furniture. I mean, first, we’re fighting. And then we’re fucking. And then we’re eating every dinner together and living under the same roof and sleeping in the same bed.”

“Incredulous, I know,” Saito replied with sarcastic indifference.

“And all the while, it all started because of some score that never even got settled.” Sano shook his head. “I still don’t know how it happened. How did we get from there to here? It doesn’t even feel real sometimes.” He looked up to find Saito studying him.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned through all of my experience, it’s that very fine line I mentioned earlier, which sits between contradictory things. Rivalry and companionship, for instance.” Without taking his eyes off Sano, Saito reached for the tobacco again. “Between hatred and admiration, between war and…” He took a pensive draw and motioned between them. “… _this_. It doesn’t have to make sense. The rules skew at some point. As I said.” He returned the cigarette to the tray. “At times, opposites and unlikely pairs are simply more suited for each other than similar entities. It defies logic and explanation.”

“Well…” Sano’s voice was soft as he gazed at the tatami. “What would you even _call_ ‘this’?” He found Saito’s face again soon after. “Because the opposite of war is peace and I wouldn’t say that word exactly fits us, y’know.”

"No," Saito agreed with the slight raise of a brow. “That wasn’t quite the word I was thinking of.” He reached for Sano’s cheek with a bare hand and coaxed him forward so their lips touched. The kiss was tame compared to the fervor of earlier, but this instance, though almost chaste, was rife with emotion. When Saito finally drew away slowly, it was only far enough so that he could look into Sano’s eyes through rims of dark lashes. “Care to try again?” he drawled.

Sano’s mouth opened and immediately closed. He blinked and drew in a breath as he went to speak again, but nothing came out. Finally, he rasped just above a whisper, “That’s…that’s so _unfair_ , what the _fuck_.” He grabbed Saito’s arm, clutching it tightly. “You can’t just fucking say something like that and make me guess if what I _think_ you’re saying is what you’re _actually_ saying.”

“On the contrary, aho.” With a soft grin pulling at his cheeks, Saito leaned in. “All is fair in war.” And just before their lips met again, he added, “…And love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading! <3
> 
> I wrote this quick as hell and didn't have much time to edit/expand on what I wanted to because there was a deadline. Sorry if there's a drop in quality from what I usually post. Unfortunately, I've been dealing with a lot of health issues recently which have made it hella difficult to write. I also just really, _really_ wanted to make sure Saisa had some written representation in the [Ruroken Week tumblr event](http://rurokenweek.tumblr.com/post/160313449215/rurouni-kenshin-week-2017-conflict-may-14-to-may) this week. Because they're the OTP. And they deserve it.
> 
> So, the ending is really open and I invite you to imagine Sano's response to such a confession as you like. I might edit this someday and give it the conclusion it deserves...but someday sure ain't today, friendo. lol


	6. Tough Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bahahaha. Written for the crack fic prompt: cake + falling, Saito + Cho
> 
> Cho has a realization about his boss that turns the universe upside down. Implied Saito/Cho, background Saisa

**.*Tough Love*.**  


“Hnnn?” It was a pensive sound, starting low and rising steadily. “You’re tellin’ me _this_ is what them westerners eat?” Cho brought the plate closer to his face and his nostrils flared. The rectangular-cut dessert was a rich brown and, though not unpleasant, carried an unusual scent.

“Mm.” At his side, Officer Tsukamoto stood with his own helping and nodded in agreement. He used a pair of chopsticks to break a corner off his slice. “I tried it for the first time when I took my family to Yokohama this weekend. It’s kind of strange at first but we all ended up liking it very much so...” A kind smile crossed his features. “I thought to bring some back for the station.”

“Guess I know who’s eyin’ promotion ‘round here. Though, that’d never work with _my_ friggin’ boss.” Cho looked up, watching his colleague slide the morsel into his mouth. “And you say they call this…what again?”

“Mmph.” Tsukamoto nodded once more to fill in for the silence as he chewed. “Chocolate cake. Try it!”

“Chocolate cake, huh? Well!” Picking up his chopsticks, Cho cut his piece in half. “Here’s to eatin’ like a westerner, then!”

The first bite was…he frowned, wrinkled his nose, and snapped his face to the side, swallowing quickly.

“Eh?!” A laugh erupted. “You should see yourself! It isn’t poison, Cho.”

“What…the _hell_ …is this? It’s so…”

Still chuckling, Tsukamoto supplied, “Sweet? I thought so too, but you get used it to real fast.”

“More like _unbearably_ sweet. And…” Cho chewed on nothing several times to kick up the taste in his mouth again. “… _strong_. Weird.” He shook his head. “Hey, look, I appreciate it but nah. This ain’t me. Hell, I wouldn’t even give it to my—” he trailed off as an idea formed.

“Your…?”

With a smirk pulling out to Cho’s cheeks, his chin lifted. “On second thought, never mind.” He gave a friendly shove to Tsukamoto’s shoulder. “Thanks, man! Think I’ma take the rest to my desk.”

“I told you you’d get used to it!” Tsukamoto called after him in a jovial tone.

“Haha, yeah!” Cho waved over his shoulder and when he was out of earshot, muttered beneath his breath, “Get used to it, my ass.”

He wasn’t cut out for this kind of decadent indulgence, with his preference for a bland diet. But he also wasn’t the _only_ one around these parts who enjoyed so-called boring sustenance and in fact, compared to plain kake soba, Cho thought his meals were quite fancy.

That’s how the idea formed to use this sweet chocolate cake to serve up some equally sweet revenge. Saito had been exceptionally dickish in the last two weeks—constantly hovering over him, bitching about this and bitching about that. He hadn’t said even an inkling of a nice thing since this latest case broke and it was getting on Cho’s nerves.

_Your attention to detail is_ severely _lacking._ (I stayed up all night doing this shit, asshole.)

_You’re late. Again._ (By _five_ whole minutes, oh wow!)

_The deadline was moved up by two days. After hour work is required._ (Yeah, because I ain’t got no social life. Yep. You got it, Fujita.)

_Get out of my office unless you have something important to say. I don’t have time to idly prattle with you._ (I was just askin’ about your weekend. Damn.)

_Don’t ask me to explain things you can easily find out on your own._ (Why are you like this?)

It was really more of the same business as usual, just in heavier doses, but Cho was more put off about the potential explanation of Saito’s recent extra irascibility.

Rooster-head hadn’t been around lately and the lack of his presence seemed to be directly correlated to Saito being in the worst mood of all time. He was inapproachable at best, and the number of smoked cigarettes built higher and higher over the hours until the ashtray was holding a small mountain by evening.

Figures. Cho had long suspected something was going on between them and while this development would satisfy his curiosity as solid evidence (and even be amusing gossip), it annoyed him more than anything. Why should _he_ have to shoulder the brunt of their fallout, after all? He just worked here, damn it.

As Cho strolled down the hall, he sucked his teeth. Leave it to the fuckin’ rooster to get involved with such a demanding, thankless hard-ass, who had ice in his veins and never smiled if not for sarcasm. Hell, those qualities were the exact reasons Cho had wanted—more than once—to punch Saito square in the jaw, especially over the last few days since they seemed to have amplified three-fold.

Unfortunately, such an option was out of the question because that would've meant he’d also be out of a job, but this sugar-laced weapon in hand would allow him to annoy Saito in a way that appeared entirely innocent.

As Cho approached the stairs, he could see the situation unfolding:

“ _Ey, boss! I just ate this really,_ really _delicious thing from Yokohama and it was so good that I had to bring you some! Here, try it. It’s_ amazing _! You will to~tally love it._ ” Wink wink, nudge, nudge.

“ _Sawagejo. I am an absolute asshole who will not thank you for such a kind act. But I’ll accept your offer anyway. Because I’m a dick._ ”

Then, Saito would take a bite and be _so_ totally shocked and horrified that those _stupid_ antenna bangs would stand straight up and his perpetually serious face would contort into something hilarious. And with due justice delivered, the triumphant Cho would exit his office to go laugh his ass off.

‘Good! It’ll serve him right!’ Cho thought as he started descending to the landing separating the first and second floors. However, between being both too smug and overly eager to achieve his vengeance, he managed to miss a step halfway, lost his footing, and began to stumble.

A snapshot of the situation flashed through Cho’s mind. The plate was in his right hand. That’s where the banister was, too. He managed to pivot and swing his left arm toward it so he could regain his balance, but the floundering put the railing out of reach and with a shout, his eyes shut tight as he fell backward. The dish crashed against the floor and tumbled in a clamor: a prelude to the pain that Cho’s body would also experience.

…only, it didn’t.

He remained flinching.

…because he landed somewhere soft.

The realization slowly dawned.

…as in, half bridal-style in someone’s arms.

At that, Cho’s eyes snapped open to find Saito’s golden ones boring into his and his body went rigid. Unblinking, he stared blankly as a million observations hit him at once; perhaps, it was from all the adrenaline coursing through his system, but whatever the reason, he was suddenly extremely aware of several things.

Those long black bangs didn’t appear so awkward from this angle and the hard lines of Saito’s face no longer as threatening. Up close, these features were actually…quite handsome. Cho could feel breath spilling across his skin, could smell cigarettes and soba and a trace of mint. Saito’s arms were strong and warm and they’d caught him effortlessly and…

‘ _Holy shit, he has nice lips_.’ Another most unfortunate intrusive thought.

“Sawagejo.”

“Hn!” A kneejerk reaction had Cho attempting to surge himself forward without success, and Saito simply pushed him back up on his feet.

“Be more careful, you moron.”

“D—” Cho cleared his throat and pressed his back to the wall, gathering himself. “Don’t talk to me like I’m rooster-head or somethin’!”

Saito’s brow merely twitched and he then pointed to the mess. “Dare I ask?”

“Uh, yeah. Tsukamoto bought somethin’ called, uh, chocolate cake from Yokohama and…”

“Cht. You’ll eat anything, won’t you?” Tossing his face to the side, Saito turned to the stairs and began to climb. “You really _are_ like him.”

“H…hey!” Cho called, the fire all but gone from his voice by this point. “I’m nothin’ like rooster, y’hear?”

A heavy, sarcastic sigh fell from Saito. “ _Right_.” Then, he disappeared on the second landing.

Blinking, Cho's attention fell to the sad sight of cake on the floor. He may not have liked or even wanted to eat it, but after spending too many days of his childhood starving, he hated seeing food go to waste. His whole plan for petty vengeance was looking more and more ridiculous by the second, because it was clear that Saito wouldn’t have taken the offer to begin with. Cho should’ve known.

And as for Saito…

Cho swallowed, not feeling much like revenge anymore. In fact, he was more confused and terrified than anything because he’d totally just realized his boss was attractive…and his boss had totally just compared him to his ex. …Or his _presumed_ ex.

With a hand coming to up his mouth, both of Cho’s eyes widened.

_Holy shit._

Did Saito have a type, and was he it? His heart fluttered.

This was _not_ good.

~

Several ideas marinated overnight and by morning, Cho decided that, yes, there were some glaring similarities between himself and that damn rooster after all. Saito had always been prodding Sano and trying to whip his ass into shaping up when he’d been around; it was the same treatment Cho received.

It was logical to assume, by these facts, that the boss did, indeed, have a type.

...And if Sano was it, then so was Cho.

He slammed a hand on his desk at that thought, startling a nearby colleague, and began drumming his fingers. How could he have gone from never seeing Saito to _seeing_ Saito within the span of five seconds?

Landing in his arms had _something_ to do with it, along with getting a glimpse of his lips up close and being inundated by his scent...not to mention having the impression that Saito actually cared more than he let on, but…Cho groaned and rubbed furiously at the sides of his head.

‘ _Don’t think about it, don’t think about it!_ ’

He continued to think about it.

This was _not_ good at all.

~

There hadn’t been any reason to go into Saito’s office, but Cho found himself shuffling down the hall anyway. Halfway there, he scowled and wondered what he was even doing. That’s when he heard a familiar voice.

“Aw, c’mon. You _know_ you missed me! I bet you spent all week brooding and pining while I was gone.”

“You are _ridiculous_.”

“Uh-huh…”

Cho peered into Saito’s office to find Sano halfway through the window from outside, leaning on his forearms and wearing a huge satisfied grin. Saito stood facing him, tobacco in hand.

“By the way, I got you somethin’, old man…” Sano sang. He reached down and reappeared, extending a large peach in Saito’s direction. “For makin’ you wait so long for me to come back. You can have this one now.” His voice lowered. “And the other one later.”

Saito huffed. “Aho.” But he did accept it. And Cho was suddenly aware that there _was_ endearment in his insult. In fact, Cho had begun to realize that every time Saito had ever said something he’d presumed as offensive, it had carried with it backward encouragement or some kind of tough love.

Tough love.

Holy _shit_. That’s what rooster-head saw in him. And because it was so cleverly disguised, no one else noticed.

“You’d better go,” Saito said. “Stay out of trouble.”

“Yeah, yeah! See you tonight.” Sano winked and lowered himself slowly to his feet. Lingering for a moment more, he fluttered his eye lashes, smiled, and disappeared from the window.

Cho watched as Saito turned, regarding the peach—and simply wasn’t ready to see those shapely lips curved into a tiny smile. An _actual_ smile.

Saito placed the fruit on his desk and then glanced up. Cho’s back straightened when their eyes met and he shoved himself out of sight.

“Sawagejo.” Cho heard from inside and his stomach dropped. “A suggestion.”

Slinking back into the doorway, he swallowed and looked up. “…Yeah, boss?”

“Lurking outside your superior’s office doesn’t look good.” Saito cocked his head ever so slightly. “So, unless you’re here for a reason, I would immediately get back to work.”

Nodding, Cho held his hand up and forced a laugh. “I wasn’t—I mean.” A piecing gaze sized him up. “Yeah, lemme go do that. The analysis is almost done, so I’ll just...” He pointed down the hall. “Yeah.”

Using the frame, he hurled himself out of Saito’s view again and stalked back to his desk with his cheeks burning. How stupid could he have been? All Saito cared about with Cho was work getting done, but when it came to a damn rooster-headed idiot, it was all accepting _peaches_ and smiling softly and... _ugh_ , fuck it all.

When Cho slumped into his chair and flipped to the page he left off at, the sudden sound of the Chief’s voice surprised him.

“Ah, Commissioner Kawaji! This way, Sir.”

_Kawaji_?! Cho threw himself back into his task, making sure he looked busy as the two of them passed by him and when they turned the corner, he gazed over his shoulder. The commissioner was someone who made the sound of even Saito’s criticisms similar to a kitten’s purr. If he’d seen Cho just standing around outside his boss’s door, it wouldn’t have gone over well.

…Had Saito been looking out for him just now? Surely, he’d known Kawaji would be around today.

Cho blinked. Was that more tough love? Possibly… But the toughest thing about this all was that he’d begun falling for someone who he couldn’t have—at least not without a fight.

With a groan, he rubbed at his face, but when Cho peered over the tips of his fingers, his eyes were determined.

“Hope you’re ready for war, Sagara...”

The Great Score of Broom VS Rooster was about to get intense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! <3 I love Cho and had fun writing this. lol
> 
> *cue massive flailing!!* kuroiyousei wrote a fic that was inspired by this one and you should totally check it out!! It's called [The Solution](https://kuroiyousei.net/2017/10/09/the-solution/) and I adore it~! :D


	7. Rudely Interrupted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sano learns the harsh lesson that only _one_ couple can get it on at the lake.
> 
> Written for the crack fic prompt: Nightgown, lake, Saisa...with a dose of Kenkao to make things interesting. lol
> 
> Nothing too explicit, but there be fuckin' here.

**.*Rudely Interrupted*.**

Branches rustled and swayed and then Sano crashed through them, taking Saito with him. Lips were locked and hands were everywhere, the atmosphere heavy with desperation and urgency. They stumbled clumsily away from the brush as Sano swatted at Saito’s belt buckle, beginning to pull it undone with graceless effort.

A gloved hand raised to cup the side of Sano’s head and assumed a commanding hold as Saito pulled away from the kiss far enough only to speak. Out of breath, their lips remained touching when he panted, “ _Here_?”

No longer obstructed by the belt, button, and zipper, Sano shoved the flaps of Saito’s trousers aside. “I fucking _want_ you,” he grated, just as winded. Shoving his hips forward, he rutted against him. “I fucking want you so bad, it _has_ to be here.”

Turning his face slightly, Saito took a quick survey of their surroundings. They’d ended up near a placid lake secluded by thick foliage that was very much abandoned, except for the sounds of chirping crickets and the whisper of a soft summer breeze. It appeared safe enough, but there was one problem.

Sano took Saito’s chin and pulled it back, demanding eye contact as his lips barely trembled; his pupils were blown wide and though his expression was pleading on its own, he voiced the need out loud. “ _Please_ ,” he begged with a hoarse exhale.

Saito’s top teeth pressed to his lower lip and slid back in, his chest rising and falling as he stared intensely at Sano with the hint of a smirk. “I wasn’t aware that word was in your vocabulary.” Before a reply could come, his palms fell to Sano’s ass and with huge handfuls, Saito forcefully pulled him forward. His mouth hovered next to his ear. “There’s an issue with this situation, however, aho.”

“No,” Sano insisted, beginning to undulate his hips again in a most pleasing way once more. His hand slipped off Saito’s face and fell to the inner pocket of his gi; a tiny bottle of clear fluid was procured and holding it between his thumb and middle finger, he raised it with a small shake. “There isn’t.”

Saito’s attention flicked from the slick back to Sano’s ravenous gaze, and he knew his own was just as starving when he lunged forward with such force that it sent them both tumbling to the grass. They crashed together, limbs entwined—except for the palm which protected the back of Sano’s head from the fall—and immediately met again in another insatiable kiss.

Saito reached down to the white-clad legs, hooking his fingers in the crooks of the knees and pulling Sano’s calves up to wrap around his waist. “You’re well prepared,” he mused, pursing his mouth at the corner of Sano’s in messy kisses and then traveling up his cheek. One hand wandered down Sano’s leg, following the curve of his thigh to reach his backside.

“Yeah, well.” Sano wore a smug grin across his features. “Guess I learned _something_ from hanging out with you all the time— _mnn_ …”

“These need to go,” Saito commanded as the pad of his fingertip rubbed against Sano’s entrance through the trousers, and then moved to take a fistful of the material in a hard tug. “Right now. Get rid of them.”

Lifting his chest to give Sano enough room to untie the straps that would free his lower half, Saito forcefully grasped his jaw and coaxed Sano’s face to the side, exposing his neck. He leaned in, flicking his tongue over the supple skin before beginning to suck on it—when a loud rasp left Sano’s mouth and Saito found himself being shoved backward.

“ _Holy shit_ , what the _fuck_!!” Sano exclaimed, sprawling back on his elbows and feet as he stared across the lake, his eyes widened in horror. “What the fuck!!”

Saito couldn’t lie to himself; when he turned his head, he was alarmed as well—at first.

A woman stood on the other side in a nightgown, shoulders slumped and long black hair backcombed over her face to completely obscure her identity. Her arms dangled as she swayed side-to-side, shuffling one foot before the other and coming closer and closer to the water.

“No,” Sano declared in a strong voice. “No!” He jumped to his feet, his undone trousers falling in the process. Grabbing the top hem, Sano wrestled them partway up as he stumbled to where Saito remained kneeling and grabbed his arm. “Hell no. _No_.”

“Aho—”

“ _No_!”

The woman stopped in place at that, then slowly raised her forearms. Her hands rested limp at the wrists, her fingers spread and beginning to flex.

“Saito,” Sano whispered coarsely and pulled on him. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Heaving a sigh, Saito reached into his pocket for a cigarette and finally relented, rising to his feet. “It’s not even—”

“No, shut up. I don’t give a fuck,” Sano snapped and jabbed his finger in the direction of the figure. “ _That_ is creepy.”

“Aho, look at it. Use your head.” The move to take out his matches was abruptly stopped when Sano slapped his hand and held it.

“Don’t fucking light that now!” he hissed.

“ _Look at it_ ,” Saito insisted. “It’s just some _moron_ trying to scare you. In any case, this place isn’t as abandoned as you thought and the mood is ruined. We _should_ leave.”

Squinting, Sano leaned in, watching the woman continuing to contract her fingers without moving forward. “Actually, you’re right.” He squeezed Saito’s arm before letting it go. “And I’m kinda fucking pissed now because _everything_ is fucked up. Hold on, I’m about to tell her off!”

“Let it go,” Saito said indifferently but rolled his eyes when Sano began approaching the lake.

“Hey, you know, that’s pretty fucked!” he called. “You got some damn nerve rudely interrupting like that, why don’t you go—”

The deep scream that left his lips when she raced into the water rattled the leaves and as Sano dashed away with his trousers falling and a death grip on Saito’s arm, Saito groaned, “You are _such_ a moron.”

Once they’d long disappeared, the woman now standing knee-deep in the water tossed her head back with a chortle that quickly developed into an uncontrollable laughing fit. She whooped and grabbed her abdomen. “See?!” Tears welled in her eyes. “I _told_ you it’d work! They’re gone!”

“Oro?” Kenshin’s head popped out from behind a bush and he crept out, watching as Kaoru turned to him and waded back to the grass. “Kaoru…” he admonished, closing his eyes with a sweet smile. “That was very evil of you, that it was. This one believed he could see Sano’s heart leaving his chest. Though, it appeared Saito was not as taken with your performance.”

Chuckling, Kaoru approached Kenshin and put her arms around his neck. “Sano is a big boy. He’ll get over it. And we were here first anyway!” She tapped her fingertips against him and leaned in. “In any case, Kenshin…we _are_ alone again.”

“That we are,” he agreed, lifting a finger to brush away a tear left over from Kaoru’s burst of hilarity and then accepted her kiss.

“Ne, Kenshin…” she purred, pulling away to look into his eyes. “…So, how about we get back to doing what we _actually_ came here for?” Blush stained her cheeks despite the lack of shyness in her tone. Before Kenshin could even begin to answer, Kaoru claimed his lips with her own and her hand found its way into his hakama again.

~

The bedroom air was hot and stale and reeked of sex.

Panting, Sano slid his legs from about Saito’s waist and tilted his chin up for one last kiss. His request was granted and then they finally broke apart to catch their breath.

“See, Sagara?” Saito murmured. “Good things come to those who wait.”

“Was that…heh…” Closing his eyes, Sano chuckled. “Was that a pun, old man? With you sayin’ ‘coming’ and all.”

Saito simply stared at Sano before his lashes fell and he exhaled. “You are _so_ vile.”

Laughing softly again, Sano tapped his knuckles against Saito’s back in a spurious punch but seriousness quickly overcame him. “Actually, you know what’s really vile is that crazy person at the lake. Who the hell _does_ that?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Saito’s tone was nonchalant as he suggested, “Her name is Kamiya.”

“ _Jou-chan_?!”

“If you’d taken a moment to actually observe her appearance, it wouldn’t be so much of a surprise.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Sano pursed his lips in thought. “Now that I think of it, it did kinda look like her...shit, you may be right!”

Saito’s expression conveyed his thoughts. ‘ _As usual_.’

“Well, what in the hell was she doin’ at the lake at this time anyway?!”

“It’s logical to assume, given the hour and her attire, that Battousai wasn’t far from her. And as for what they were doing.” Saito huffed. “It was likely what we were about to.”

“Huh!” Sano gazed off to the side. “So, that’s where those two would sneak off to together in the middle of the night...” When Saito combed a hand through his hair, Sano turned back to him. “At least _someone_ got laid at the lake tonight.”

“And someone _else_ got laid in bed.” Tapping his fingertips in the brown locks, Saito cocked his head and added, “You know, the place where people usually have sex.”

“Aw, where’s your sense of adventure?”

“I left it in my office last night when I had you bent over my desk.”

Sano blinked. “…All right.” He nodded. “All right...good point. Okay, you know, I can accept that answer.”

“Though,” Saito began with a sigh, pushing himself up and carefully pulling out, silently appreciating the way Sano curled his lips as he did. He sat between Sano’s knees and reached for the smokes. “I suppose it depends on your definition of adventurous.” Their eyes met. “We’re not done tonight.”

A flash of white appeared when Sano smirked. “That a promise, old man?”

Saito’s mouth twitched in kind and he placed his hand upon Sano’s chest. “And a threat.” His digits slowly trailed back down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! <3


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